Who Made the Potatoe Salad?

Review By: Jason Babb
JasonBabb@TheCinemaSource.com

Who made the Potatoe Salad? What a catchy phrase for a title to this urban romantic comedy directed by Damon ‘Coke’ Daniels. This film has nonstop over the top jokes and profound disrespectful behavior. Think of it as a bizarre ghetto version of Meet the Parents.

The story is about San Diego Police Officer Michael (Jaleel White) and his beautiful Fiancée /girlfriend Ashley (Jennia Fredrique) visiting her parents in Los Angeles to inform them of their engagement. To Michael’s surprise his girlfriend’s family is not what he expected. Aside from Mrs. Jenkins they aren’t your typical ordinary in-laws to be. Mr. Jenkins (Clifton Powell) is a black panther who ultimately disapproves of his daughter dating a “pig”. The brother June-bug (De-Ray Davis) is a street thug fresh out of prison (but really an idiot). He instantly rejects Michael because he doesn’t smoke. The sister and her husband are loud, cussing disrespectful people who don’t have any manners. Lastly the grandparents are feisty, loud, sexually perverse elders of the dysfunctional family. Michael’s acceptance into the family is made very difficult by Ashley’s father Mr. Jenkins.

Throughout the film, vicious verbal slandering is aimed at Michael’s occupation and his food preference. The amount of quarreling and animosity is ignited by the father and continued by just about everyone else. During the stay at the Jenkins house numerous bizarre events occur. An altercation with a bully named Monster played by Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister who has a crush on Ashley, A staged house burglary, many arguments and a crazy thanksgiving dinner that ends in a beef over who made the potatoe salad? Michael is the victim in every situation and the main target of all the drama. The film’s funniest moments are credited to the best actor of the cast Clifton Powell (Ray) and real life comedian De-Ray Davis. Powell’s portrayal of an ignorant and stubborn dad is the best performance of the film but the gangster brother June-bug played by De-Ray is just plain stupid.

Jaleel White’s comedic presence is absent which is surprising since he has made us laugh for years with his memorable character Steve Urkel from the 1990’s hit TV sitcom Family Matters. Even though the disses and blatant jokes made me laugh, I thought there was too much unnecessary profanity at times. I mean Michael is disrespected to the point where you wonder when is this guy going to finally have enough. Trust me he can take a good tongue lashing and absorb serious insults.

There were also a few scenes that were heart-to-heart talks but the film is immediately not taken seriously so those scenes were hard to focus on. The acting in the film was okay but the snaps, jokes and dialogue make up for it Damon Daniels does a good job at ...